METEO 300 Najjar FA14

METEO 300

Fundamentals of Atmospheric Science

This four-credit
course prepares you (the meteorology major) for your 400-level
meteorology courses by laying a solid foundation in the application of
physical, chemical, and mathematical principles to a broad range of
atmospheric phenomena. You will be introduced to fundamental concepts
and applications of atmospheric thermodynamics, radiative transfer, atmospheric chemistry, cloud microphysics, atmospheric dynamics, and the atmospheric boundary layer.
These topics are covered broadly but in enough depth to introduce you
to the methods atmospheric scientists use to describe and predict
atmospheric phenomena. The course is designed to be taken by sophomore
meteorology students as well as by students in related disciplines who
have an adequate mathematical and physical background.

Email:

Office
hours:

TEACHING ASSISTANTS:

Both are grad students in the Department of Meteorology: Justin Schulte
and Seth Saslo. Contact information and office hours will be provided
shortly.

REQUIRED COURSES:

Prerequisite or concurrent:
Math 230 (Calculus and Vector Analysis) or Math 231 (Calculus of
Several Variables); Prerequisite: Phys 211 (Mechanics) and Chem 110
(Chemical Principles I). Policy:Students who do not meet
these prerequisites may be dis-enrolled during the first 10-day free
add-drop period after being informed in writing by the instructor (see: http://www.psu.edu/dept/oue/aappm/C-5.html).
If you have not completed the listed prerequisites, then promptly
consult with the instructor if you have not done so already. Students
who re-enroll after being dis-enrolled according to this policy are in
violation of Item 15 on the Student Code of Conduct (http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/conduct/codeofconduct/).

CLASS STRUCTURE:

Lectures
will be on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The recitation period will be
on Thursday afternoon and will be used to work on a detailed exercise
that is generally not collected or graded, though sometimes parts of it
may get added to the next homework assignment.

HOMEWORK:

Homework assignments will be given every Wednesday (except during exam weeks) and due on the following Wednesday at the beginning
of class. Late homework will not be accepted unless there are
extenuating circumstances (e.g., illness) and prior approval has been
granted. Homework assignments are equally weighted. Homework will be
graded by the TAs and returned on the following Monday.

TEXTBOOKS: Required:

J.M. Wallace and P.V Hobbs (2006) Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey, 2nd Edition, Elsevier Academic Press, 483 pp., ISBN 0-12-732951-X; Strongly recommended (needed for Meteo 421): J. R. Holton and G. J. Hakim 2013. An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology,
5th Edition, Elsevier Academic Press, 532 pp., ISBN 978-0-12-384866-6.
Both texts are on reserve in the EMS library. Readings are assigned for
each topic as shown in the detailed syllabus. Finish the week’s readings
by Friday so that you can complete an online quiz (see below) on Friday
or Saturday. Taking notes on the readings and working out derivations
with a pencil and paper will help you retain the material.

QUIZZES:

There will be weekly equally weighted quizzes given online (via Angel)
no later than Thursday to be completed by Friday, except during exam
weeks. About 10-20 multiple choice questions will be given on the
readings and some lecture material. These quizzes are open book but they
must be taken alone. You will be given 45 minutes to take each quiz.

EXAMS:

There
will be two mid-terms and a final. All exams will be closed book with
no crib sheets or calculators allowed. You are expected to be able to do
simple arithmetic (include manipulating powers of 10) to 1 or 2
significant figures. The first two exams are scheduled for September 18
and October 30 (both during the Thursday recitation period). The final
exam is not cumulative but will be a little longer. Details on time and
location will be given to you as soon as I know them. We will have a
review session during the class period just before the exam.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY:

I expect all submitted work to be your own. Feel free to discuss homework assignments with others, but never ever (I really mean it) copy another’s work. Homework is not a collaborative project.
If it appears that there is copying on a homework assignment, I will
begin the formal Disciplinary Action Procedure as outlined by our
college. The sanction for a first offense will be a zero on the
assignment. For a second offense, a sanction may be as severe as failing
the course. For details see http://www.ems.psu.edu/current_undergrad_students/academics/integrity_policy

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

I
expect you to attend all lectures and recitation periods. I realize
that there may be emergencies and other extenuating circumstances that
prevent this. If possible, let me know ahead of time by email if you are going to miss a class. If you do miss a class, get notes from a fellow student rather than emailing me “what did I miss?”

CLASSROOM CELL PHONE POLICY:

Please silence your cell phone in the classroom and do not use it.

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR:

I
will be in my office during the hours listed above specifically to
answer your questions. Exceptions will occur due to unavoidable
meetings, illness and travel. I am often available outside of office
hours, so please feel free to call or stop by my office at any time.
If I am available, I will be happy to talk with you. You can guarantee
seeing me outside of office hours by making an appointment. During
office-hour visits, please silence your cell phone and do not use it.

COURSE WEB SITE:

I will use Angel
to communicate with the class electronically, though I will always send
a copy to your PSU account, and I would like you to do the same if you
send me an email through Angel. I will also use Angel to post assignments, handouts, quizzes, exam answer keys, past exams, and visuals that I show in class.

ABRIDGED SYLLABUS:

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Demonstrate familiarity with theapplication of calculus to provide a quantitative description of atmospheric phenomena

Demonstrate
familiarity with the application of basic physical laws to provide a
detailed explanation for the development and evolution of atmospheric
phenomena at a variety of spatial and temporal scales.

COURSE OUTCOMES

Students can
demonstrate a broad knowledge of atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric
thermodynamics, atmospheric chemistry, and physical meteorology as
preparation for taking other required and elective meteorology courses.

Students can demonstrate the ability to solve basic analytical problems in the fundamental areas of the atmospheric sciences.